Switch.



--A. T. FOSTER..

v SWITCH.

. APPLIGATIONHLED MAR.3 ,1aos. v

Pafented Sept. 29, 1908.

Azzdrenffffr UNTED STATEs PATENT ortica.

ANDREW T. FOSTER, or FILLMoRn INDIANA,`AssIeNoR or ONE-HALF To FoRREsT c. y v HUnsT, or riLLMoRniNDrANA;

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Specification "of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

VApplication led March 3, 1908. Serial No. 419,015.

To all whom it may concern:V Y p Be it known that I, ANDREwT. FOSTER, a

citizen of the United States, residing atFillmore, in the county of Putnam and State-oi Indiana, have invented new and useful `Improvements in Switches, of which the following is a specication. Y

This invention relates to railway switches, and the object of the invention is to provide one of the members of the switchv rail with an intermediate section adapted tooverlie the main rail when the switch is opened, thus doing away with frogs and leaving the main rails whole. K 1' v With these and other objects yin view the invention resides in the novel construction and combination of parts, hereinaiteriully described and claimed. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is atop plan view of a railway switch constructed in accordance with Imyv invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fi 3 is a transverse sectional view upon theV ine 3-.3 of Fig. 1.f Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the hmge Y member carrying the intermediate rail sec-` tion. v

In the drawin s thenumeral 1 designates the main rails o atrack and 2 the switch rails thereof. The switch rails 4employed with the contemplated `form of my-devlce are raised in their centers as illustrated in Fig. 2

of the drawings. `The rail of the switch sec-k tion crossing the rail` l of themain track is constructed of a pair of sections Sand 4.

The sections 3 and 4 are positioned upon the `ties in the ordinary manner and have their heads cut at a bevel a suitabledistance away from the rail 1 of the main track, and adapted Jfor engagement between the` heads of the members 3 and 4 is an intermediate railsection 5, provided upon a member 6,'hingedly secured upon a suitable base 7, arranged bee.

tween the members 2 of the switch sections. `The base 7 may beprovided with a plurality of perforated ears 8, adapted for thereception oiretainingelements by which the base is secured upon the ties. The base Tmay be constructed of ahollow boXing,.having 0E- sets upon two of its faces adaptedito lie between the webs and flanges of Vthe rails, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. One ofthe faces of the base 7,fadjacent the sections 23` and 4 of the switch is provided with inclined pockets or cut away portions 9, adapted for the reception of ears or fingers 10 upon the hinge member 6 directly below the intermediate rail section 5. By arranging the member 6 `with the lugs or fingers, it will be noted that direct strain is removed from the member 6 atits point of connection with the base 7. The member 6 may be provided with a slotted tongue 11, proj ectin from the outer face ofthe rail section 5, an the base 7 may be provided with a staple 12, adapted for engaging the slotted tongue when the section 6 is swung rearwardly upon the base as illustrated by the dotted lines of Fig. 1 of the drawings. The ends oi the intermediate rail Section5 are suitably beveled or inclined to correspond with the faces of the sections 3 and 4. i Y

From the above description it will be seen that l have provided a simple, cheap and eective switch for railway rails, one wherein the use of frogs or the necessity of cutting the main rails is entirely overcome, and by which the intermediate rail section of the switch may be `readily thrown and secured in position, or which may be swung rearwardly and secured upon the base when the main track is opened.

, While l have described the preferred embodimentof my invention, as it now appears to me, it 1s to be understood that minor details may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the device.

Having` thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with main rails, of

.switch rails elevated at their centers above the main rails, one of said switch rails being lconstructed in sections upon both sides of `one of the main rails, a base plate between the switchrails, spaced ears upon the base plate, `an element rovided with spaced ears ada tedV to pivota ly engage the spaced ears of t e base plate, and the element beingprovided with a rail section adapted to fit the space between the switch rail sections.

2. rlhe combination with main rails, of switch rails elevated above the main rails at their centers, one of the switch rails being `constructed in sections lupon" both sides of oneof the main rails, a base between the switch rails adjacent one of the main rails, i upon the hinged element adapted for engagoffsets upon the base engaging beneath the heads and base anges of the rails, the base being provided with pockets, a hinged element upon the base, a staple upon the base, the hinged element being provided With a rail section, a slotted tongue upon the rail section of the hinged element, and ngeis ing the pockets of the base. 10 In testimony whereof I aHix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ANDREW T. FOSTER. Witnesses:

JOHN S. DUNCAN, W. S. GRUBB. 

